Progressive Democrats of Sussex meet to discuss county, state issues
Forty members of the Progressive Democrats of Sussex County met June 3 for a business and strategy meeting. Attendees heard reports from team leaders on the status of bills in the General Assembly the group is advocating for, including rent justification, sensible gun legislation and repeal of the death penalty.
Betty Deacon gave a report on the recent school board meetings where a Bible literacy course and efforts to oppose the Core Standards, a national project that establishes educational K thru 12 standards in language arts and math, were on the agenda. There was agreement among the group that board members should not be proposing curriculum for the schools and that the Core Standards does not change the right of local school districts to develop curriculum.
Nancy Feichtl discussed the formation of a steering committee to develop plans for a Senior Transportation Cooperative that would provide rides for seniors from their homes to doctor’s offices, shopping centers, theater and musical events. Volunteer drivers would bank credited miles to be used when they no longer can drive. PDSC Chair Joanne Cabry agreed to be on the steering committee.
Will O’Regan, a representative of Equality Delaware, spoke of efforts to pass Senate Bill 97 that, adds the term “gender identity” to the already-existing list of prohibited practices of discrimination and hate crimes.
The group expressed frustration that the representative of Sussex County on the Delaware’s Sea Level Rise Advisory Commission abstained from voting on the proposed 60 recommendations the commission proposed after more than two years of meetings.
Cabry informed the group that the General Assembly had passed a resolution declaring Sept. 14-22 Sea Level Rise Awareness Week in Delaware. Cabry asked for volunteers to help plan activities for that week to demonstrate the importance of government’s role in addressing the impact of sea level rise on our lives, especially in coastal Sussex County.
